Bellarmine Dismantling Racism Team
Resources for Dismantling Racism
The link above includes some church statements and background information on racism, then list organizations, films, books, TedTalks, On Being podcast episodes, and articles from a variety of sources. The book list includes the list we read as a parish community through our book group series, 2016-2019.
Team Overview
“Racism can often be found in our hearts—in many cases placed there unwillingly or unknowingly by our upbringing and culture. As such, it can lead to thoughts and actions that we do not even see as racist, but nonetheless flow from the same prejudicial root… Racism can also be institutional, when practices or traditions are upheld that treat certain groups of people unjustly. The cumulative effects of personal sins of racism have led to social structures of injustice and violence that makes us all accomplices in racism.” ~US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Open Wide Our Hearts
Formed in 2007, our Dismantling Racism Team is focused on creating awareness of racism and white privilege, both personal and systemic. We are committed to taking action to dismantle racism internally, in our parish and in our world. The Team has worked for racial and economic justice in many ways, both educational and relational, pushing our parish to become a truly welcoming community.
The link above includes some church statements and background information on racism, then list organizations, films, books, TedTalks, On Being podcast episodes, and articles from a variety of sources. The book list includes the list we read as a parish community through our book group series, 2016-2019.
Team Overview
“Racism can often be found in our hearts—in many cases placed there unwillingly or unknowingly by our upbringing and culture. As such, it can lead to thoughts and actions that we do not even see as racist, but nonetheless flow from the same prejudicial root… Racism can also be institutional, when practices or traditions are upheld that treat certain groups of people unjustly. The cumulative effects of personal sins of racism have led to social structures of injustice and violence that makes us all accomplices in racism.” ~US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Open Wide Our Hearts
Formed in 2007, our Dismantling Racism Team is focused on creating awareness of racism and white privilege, both personal and systemic. We are committed to taking action to dismantle racism internally, in our parish and in our world. The Team has worked for racial and economic justice in many ways, both educational and relational, pushing our parish to become a truly welcoming community.
At present, our team has 5 active subcommittees:
1) Education
2) Prayer
3) Relationship-Building with the Black Church Community
4) Reparations and Supporting Black-Owned Businesses
5) Advocacy
Recent successes include our annual MLK Sunday guest reflections:
Mickey Townsend - 2021
Jim and Beauly Cira - 2020
Sr. Colleen O’Toole – 2019
Our Dismantling Racism Team is our major connection to the AMOS Project, a coalition of faith-based congregations, including churches, synagogues, and mosques, working on racial and economic justice in our city. One of our biggest recent victories was the successful passage of Cincinnati’s Issue 44: Strong Start, Strong Futures campaign to increase access to early childhood education in the city.
We are currently working with two important resources, the USCCB’s Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, the Bishop’s 2018 pastoral letter focused on racism, and the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center’s Race and Racism in Cincinnati Toolkit. Both of these resources are available to small faith groups.
New members are always welcome. For more information or to join, contact our Director of Social Mission, Tim Severyn at severynte@xavier.edu
1) Education
2) Prayer
3) Relationship-Building with the Black Church Community
4) Reparations and Supporting Black-Owned Businesses
5) Advocacy
Recent successes include our annual MLK Sunday guest reflections:
Mickey Townsend - 2021
Jim and Beauly Cira - 2020
Sr. Colleen O’Toole – 2019
Our Dismantling Racism Team is our major connection to the AMOS Project, a coalition of faith-based congregations, including churches, synagogues, and mosques, working on racial and economic justice in our city. One of our biggest recent victories was the successful passage of Cincinnati’s Issue 44: Strong Start, Strong Futures campaign to increase access to early childhood education in the city.
We are currently working with two important resources, the USCCB’s Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, the Bishop’s 2018 pastoral letter focused on racism, and the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center’s Race and Racism in Cincinnati Toolkit. Both of these resources are available to small faith groups.
New members are always welcome. For more information or to join, contact our Director of Social Mission, Tim Severyn at severynte@xavier.edu
Bellarmine Chapel
(513) 745 - 3398 |
Mailing Address:
3800 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45207-2211 |
Physical Address:
3801 St. Francis Xavier Way Cincinnati, OH 45207 |
Parish Center Address:
3832 Ledgewood Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45207 |